Toy block



April 20, 1948. w. R. MCLAIN TOY BLOCK Filed May 21, 1946 INVENTOR. Will/am R Mc La/n Patented Apr. 20, 1948 UNITED STATE PATENT William R. McLain, Henderson,

Ky., assignor to Kusan Incorporated, Henderson, Ky. Application May 21, 1946, Serial No. 671,316

- 1 Claim.

This invention relates to toy blocks. An object of the invention is the provision of a transparent hollow block formed of plastic and in the form of a cube having an open face with a plate for closing said open face, a figure representing an animal, a bird or object being secured to the plate so that when said plate is sealed in position for closing the open end of the cube the ob- J'ect may be viewed through the transparent walls of the cube, the name of the object being applied to one face of the cube with the initial letter of the name displayed conspicuously as an aid in teaching children the different letters of the alphabet and for associating word pictures of the names with the various objects displayed in the transparent cubes.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a toy block of such novel features that the letter of the alphabet in association with word pictures will be fixed more firmly in the mind of a child, the block being hollow and formed of transparent or translucent materials and having an open end which is sealed by aplate carrying a representation of an animal, bird, or other object with said representation being disposed within the hollow cube and secured to the plate in spaced relation with the walls of the cube, the name of the object, animal or bird being applied in a conspicuous manner to a face of the cube.

The invention consists in the novel combination, arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one form of atoy block.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of a closing plate for transparent hollow block, showing a representation of an animal secured to the inner surface of the plate, and

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the transparent hollow block with the closing plate and representation attached thereto cemented in position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l designates a block in the form of a cube. This block is formed of transparent or translucent materials, such as a clear plastic. The cube includes a top wall ll, four side walls, a bottom l2 which is cemented in place as shown at [3 in the lower open end of the block. A replica M of an animal, a bird, a fish or an object is secured in any approved manner to the closure plate [2. In this particular instance, pins l5 are cemented or embedded in the plate l2 with portions extending into and firmly fixed in the lower portions of the replica for maintaining said replica in an erect position in the hollow block, and out of contact with the inner faces of the side walls of said block. However, the object may be ccmented directly to the closure plate.

The name of the animal or pictorial representation within the hollow block is applied to the outer surface of the top of the block as shown at 25 (Figure 1). The initial letter 26 of the name is prominently displayed, as by enlargement.

The novel presentation of an animal in a case or cage-the transparent block-in conjunction with the name and the prominence given to the initial letter as a member of the alphabet has a great educational advantage in instructing children because it makes a stronger impression on the mind of a child than well-known methods now in use. Furthermore, by forming the block of transparent materials, a three dimensional View of the object enclosed is obtained, thus imparting the natural appearance of the object to a child.

In the present instance, a replica of a dog is shown in the hollow block with the initial letter D prominently displayed. In a like manner, all the letters of the alphabet will be used in connection with the various names of animals, such as Bear, Cat, etc. The replicas employed in the various blocks will be pictorial representations of the animals whose names are inscribed on the tops of the blocks.

The replicas may be made of plastic, glass, metal or of any other suitable materials. They may be colored for more properly displaying the object. It is to be understood that the figures in the transparent blocks may be represented as conventional types.

The selection of any species of a genus for the replicas depends entirely upon the letters of the alphabet, since in each series of names chosen, the initial letters of the names must be identical with those of the alphabet. In other words, there would be employed twenty-six blocks for the animals while the same number would be used when fishes, or birds or flowers are represented.

Iclaim:

An educational device comprising a hollow transparent block in the form of a cube having one end open, a plate for closing an dsealing the open end, a replica of an object secured to the inner face of the late, and the name of the object being applied to an outer face of the block with the initial of the name being prominently displayed.

WILLIAM R. McLAIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Anderson Feb. 17, 1885 Hyde Mar. 27, 1923 Goss Aug. 21, 1923 Garaja Dec. 31, 1929 Whitehouse Aug. 22, 1933 Herlihy Mar. 18, 1941 Jay Apr. 6, 1943 Short May 11, 1943 

